Melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer.1 The 5-year relative survival rate for Americans with distant melanoma is only 23%. The National Cancer Institute estimated that there were 91,270 new cases of skin melanoma and more than 9300 deaths from this disease in 2018. This deadly disease is also costly; in the United States, expenditures for the treatment of melanoma exceeded $3 billion in 2018.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow that is characterized by the production of abnormal myeloblasts, red blood cells, or platelets. AML originates in the bone marrow, but it often spreads into the blood and to other parts of the body, including the lymph nodes, liver, spleen, and central nervous system.

Prostate cancer, the second most common type of cancer in men, is expected to affect 11.6% of all men during their lifetime. In fact, more than 3 million men in the United States are living with prostate cancer. It is estimated that in 2017, 161,360 men were newly diagnosed with prostate cancer, and 26,730 men died from the disease.

Two human genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2 (BRCA1/2), produce proteins that block the growth of cancer, such as breast or ovarian cancer. These proteins ensure the stability of each cell’s genetic material and help to repair damaged DNA. A mutation in either BRCA results in these proteins not functioning correctly. Specifically, DNA damage may not be repaired effectively, which can lead to cancer.

Febrile neutropenia is a serious complication of cancer chemotherapy that can require treatment delays and chemotherapy dose reductions, which compromise the efficacy of treatment. Among patients with cancer who are receiving chemotherapy, approximately 1% have febrile neutropenia. This condition affects patient morbidity and mortality and its clinical management requires significant healthcare resources.

Prostate cancer is the third most common type of cancer in the United States, after breast cancer and lung cancer. In 2018 alone, 164,690 individuals were diagnosed with prostate cancer, accounting for nearly 10% of all new cancer cases, and 29,430 deaths were attributed to the disease. Prostate cancer is most frequently diagnosed in men aged 65 to 74 years (median age, 66 years). More than 98% of patients with prostate cancer survive ≥5 years; however, the 5-year survival rate drops to 30% for patients with metastatic disease.